Elysian Acoustics DIVA 2023

[amosamayo]

BTW, does a dac amp have more impact on the soundstage, than a cable? I am using the fiio KA5 and Ares S with the Diva 2023, and I feel the soundstage is abit narrow. But I'm not sure if I should upgrade my dac amp or cable, to expand the soundstage. I'm looking at the liquid links martini for now.

 

[AoiMomo]

BTW, does a dac amp have more impact on the soundstage, than a cable? I am using the fiio KA5 and Ares S with the Diva 2023, and I feel the soundstage is abit narrow. But I'm not sure if I should upgrade my dac amp or cable, to expand the soundstage. I'm looking at the liquid links martini for now.

Unless purposefully "flavored", solid state dac and amps should be neutral and does not add to the soundstage of you headphones. Now if you use a tube amp then the sound may be altered a bit, but that's mostly due to the amp not the DAC. For the DAC my opinion is that if it's good enough quality they will all sound pretty much the same and it's mostly just the noise floor and overall compatibility you need to think about.

 

[Neweymatt]

BTW, does a dac amp have more impact on the soundstage, than a cable? I am using the fiio KA5 and Ares S with the Diva 2023, and I feel the soundstage is abit narrow. But I'm not sure if I should upgrade my dac amp or cable, to expand the soundstage. I'm looking at the liquid links martini for now.

I'd say you're likely to notice more differences between sources than cables, especially the amp stage. Then again, I've not experimented with any 1k+ TOTL cables, but you may not be after that kind of thing for Diva anyway.

I've got a Diva23 tour unit with me at the moment, and a quick swap to the LL Martini cable from my Annihilator23, and the differences are very small. Maybe just a bit more sub-bass impact and treble sparkle, but again there's not much in it, and I'll have to really spend some time a/b'ing those 2 plus my Effect Audio Eros S to be sure.

I'm surprised you find the soundstage of Diva23 deficient. I've only had it a couple days, but I'm really impressed with its width and especially depth. It's not a perfect 3D sphere, but I reckon it's quite good for where it sits price-wise.

There's only so much you can do with sources/cables etc to affect how an IEM performs, and if it's an upgrade you're after, then you may have to be prepared to spend another 1-2k to get it.

 

[amosamayo]

I'd say you're likely to notice more differences between sources than cables, especially the amp stage. Then again, I've not experimented with any 1k+ TOTL cables, but you may not be after that kind of thing for Diva anyway.

I've got a Diva23 tour unit with me at the moment, and a quick swap to the LL Martini cable from my Annihilator23, and the differences are very small. Maybe just a bit more sub-bass impact and treble sparkle, but again there's not much in it, and I'll have to really spend some time a/b'ing those 2 plus my Effect Audio Eros S to be sure.

I'm surprised you find the soundstage of Diva23 deficient. I've only had it a couple days, but I'm really impressed with its width and especially depth. It's not a perfect 3D sphere, but I reckon it's quite good for where it sits price-wise.

There's only so much you can do with sources/cables etc to affect how an IEM performs, and if it's an upgrade you're after, then you may have to be prepared to spend another 1-2k to get it.

I am using the KA5 with my phone (S22 Ultra) as the source now. I think that may be the reason why i feel the soundstage is narrow? I do not have funds to use a Desktop Amp/DAP and i prefer Dac Amps for now.

 

[amosamayo]

I'd say you're likely to notice more differences between sources than cables, especially the amp stage. Then again, I've not experimented with any 1k+ TOTL cables, but you may not be after that kind of thing for Diva anyway.

I've got a Diva23 tour unit with me at the moment, and a quick swap to the LL Martini cable from my Annihilator23, and the differences are very small. Maybe just a bit more sub-bass impact and treble sparkle, but again there's not much in it, and I'll have to really spend some time a/b'ing those 2 plus my Effect Audio Eros S to be sure.

I'm surprised you find the soundstage of Diva23 deficient. I've only had it a couple days, but I'm really impressed with its width and especially depth. It's not a perfect 3D sphere, but I reckon it's quite good for where it sits price-wise.

There's only so much you can do with sources/cables etc to affect how an IEM performs, and if it's an upgrade you're after, then you may have to be prepared to spend another 1-2k to get it.

Do you have a direct comparison of the LL Martini and ares s 8w/eros s/cadmus?

 

[Neweymatt]

Do you have a direct comparison of the LL Martini and ares s 8w/eros s/cadmus?

I don’t have the Ares S 8w or Cadmus, but I do plan to have a closer listen to the other 2 along with the stock Ares S with Diva, will let you know what I find. Like I said before, a quick test didn’t really reveal any significant differences.

I’m hearing more of a difference between the SR25 and RS6 tbh. The former is leaner & cleaner with a narrower stage, whereas the RS6 sound image is larger, fuller, and more immersive.

 

[Neweymatt]

Do you have a direct comparison of the LL Martini and ares s 8w/eros s/cadmus?

Ok, so I've spent a bit more time this afternoon swapping Diva23 back and forth between the stock Ares S and the LL Martini cables, and my verdict is... that they sound nearly identical.

What difference I do hear is incredibly small, and I have to close my eyes to shut out any other distractions to notice, but the LL Martini is ever so slightly tighter and more 'controlled' than the Ares S. There is just a very faint increase in noise around the notes with the Ares S, mostly in the upper midrange and treble, with just a hint of edginess by comparison to the LL Martini. That's not to say Diva is in any way harsh or edgy at all, it's just that the LL Martini takes what's already a great IEM and refines it a bit.

The biggest differences I'm hearing with Diva, are (unsurprisingly) by adjusting the tuning switches. Going 'bass lite' with the white setting does give the feeling of opening them up a bit and making them sound a bit wider and more expansive, so maybe that's a soundstage improvement? Of course that's at the expense of a lot of sub-bass energy, but you can't get something for nothing I guess.

Have to say, the more time I'm spending with Diva, the more impressed I am with it, despite the fact I'm spoiled to have it's big sister Anni in my collection. I'll write up a more in depth impressions post in a couple weeks, but Diva is a very strong contender in it's price class with it's fun lively presentation that has the all-important factor of making me want to 'play just one more track'

 

[amosamayo]

Ok, so I've spent a bit more time this afternoon swapping Diva23 back and forth between the stock Ares S and the LL Martini cables, and my verdict is... that they sound nearly identical.

What difference I do hear is incredibly small, and I have to close my eyes to shut out any other distractions to notice, but the LL Martini is ever so slightly tighter and more 'controlled' than the Ares S. There is just a very faint increase in noise around the notes with the Ares S, mostly in the upper midrange and treble, with just a hint of edginess by comparison to the LL Martini. That's not to say Diva is in any way harsh or edgy at all, it's just that the LL Martini takes what's already a great IEM and refines it a bit.

The biggest differences I'm hearing with Diva, are (unsurprisingly) by adjusting the tuning switches. Going 'bass lite' with the white setting does give the feeling of opening them up a bit and making them sound a bit wider and more expansive, so maybe that's a soundstage improvement? Of course that's at the expense of a lot of sub-bass energy, but you can't get something for nothing I guess.

Have to say, the more time I'm spending with Diva, the more impressed I am with it, despite the fact I'm spoiled to have it's big sister Anni in my collection. I'll write up a more in depth impressions post in a couple weeks, but Diva is a very strong contender in it's price class with it's fun lively presentation that has the all-important factor of making me want to 'play just one more track'

did you find the soundstage to be improved with the LL martini, as compared to the Ares S? from my experience, using the LL Martini helps add more width and depth to the soundstage. Idk if you feel that way.

 

[Neweymatt]

did you find the soundstage to be improved with the LL martini, as compared to the Ares S? from my experience, using the LL Martini helps add more width and depth to the soundstage. Idk if you feel that way.

That's the thing, I don't hear much in it at all between those 2 cables, only a hint more refinement with the Martini cable.

Again, I don't have any complaints at all with Diva sound stage image, I think it's excellent for where it sits in the market. If you're after a larger, grander, more expansive kind of sound, then you probably need to consider another IEM. Sony IER-Z1R for example would give you that huge cathedral-like stage height that feels like it extends upwards forever, and of course Annihilator is a direct upgrade over Diva, as long as you're willing to pay for it and be patient enough to obtain one.

 

[AoiMomo]

did you find the soundstage to be improved with the LL martini, as compared to the Ares S? from my experience, using the LL Martini helps add more width and depth to the soundstage. Idk if you feel that way.

typically cables aren't gonna be that huge of a difference to soundstage and stuff unless you went from a really badly made one to a really well made one. I think material will matter a bit more if your iems are super sensitive, but otherwise I really don't think it'll do THAT much to the point where you'd notice a difference. Another way you can test this is by using one of the two cables for a prolong period of time say like a week or more for all types of listening. Then you switch to the other cable. If the initial impression you get is hey that sounds different then that means there's a change, if not then it's prob just in your head.

 

[emdeevee]

They are certainly stunning in the light!

 

[amosamayo]

Does anyone had the chance to test the effect audio cadmus with the Diva 2023?

 

[emdeevee]

Does anyone had the chance to test the effect audio cadmus with the Diva 2023?

I will try this if I can figure out the pentacon connectors. Should have had the guys at EA show me how at CanJam!

 

[amosamayo]

Btw what sources do you guys use when you use the Diva 2023? Is a dongle dac ,like Fiio KA5 with a phone, enough to power the Diva, or does it need a better source (Desktop amp, etc.)?

 

[amosamayo]

I will try this if I can figure out the pentacon connectors. Should have had the guys at EA show me how at CanJam!

I had the chance to test the Cadmus already, thanks!